It has been a meteoric rise for goalkeeper Sophie Jackson.
The young shot stopper stepped into the building at Hotspur Way as an Under-14 and, just two years later, she has enjoyed some impressive moments in Lilywhite.
She captained the Under-16s side to the Professional Game Academy Trophy in April, 2025, while also training regularly with senior goalkeepers Lize Kop and Eleanor Heeps, and her impressive displays then saw her named in our Women’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Everton amongst the substitutes.
Appearing first in our matchday programme in the West Ham United clash last weekend, we sat down with Sophie to talk about her footballing journey…
Her first experience in between the sticks…
Sophie: “My first memory with a football was me in my back garden with my dad, when I was around four years old. He would get a ball and then just kick it at me, and he’d expect me to kick it back.
“To be truthfully honest, I was actually a striker in my first couple of seasons, however, I must have disappointed in a few games as, at around Under-11s level, they put me in as a goalkeeper and I have just stuck with it…. and I have loved it ever since.
“I got scouted by Spurs and I was offered a trial. In my first trial, I thought it went so bad, I remember getting megged three times. I got in the car with my dad and he was like ‘it’s alright, we’ll try next year’ but then I got a call that I made it to the second trial, and I got in from that.”
Becoming a Lilywhite…
Sophie: “It has been different to what I have experienced at grassroots level, it’s a lot more professional and the facilities are unreal. I have really enjoyed it ever since I walked through the doors here and the coaching I have received, how much I have learnt, it has all been amazing.
“The jump from Under-16s to Under-19s is a lot different because, at Under-16s, we were playing against boys most weeks whereas the Under-19s face WSL Academy sides, so the desire is a lot higher.
“However, I think I’ve come on leaps and bounds, and I have the coaches to thank for that. They’ve put a lot of time and effort into me, so I’m grateful for that.”
Lifting silverware with the Under-16s...
Sophie: "We really deserved it after the season we had, the players and staff group worked so hard, so it was really nice to get a reward at the end.
“For a lot of us, that was our first competitive final, so we really wanted to win and we went into that game with our heads held high, no matter the result, and it was really nice to bring home some silverware.
“I feel I have really developed my leadership skills, having the opportunity to be captain on a few occasions, and I felt I development my ability to be on the ball. People think there is a lot of weight on your shoulders and there’s a lot of responsibility but that’s something I really enjoy and, I think, I can really help the girls by leading them.”
First team exposure…
Sophie: “I would have never imagined the opportunities and experience I have already received, and all those small experiences have been key in my development. It’s nice to have those early in my career so I can take everything head on in the future.
“They’re [Lize Kop & Eleanor Heeps] professional in everything they do and they’re top-level goalkeepers that are improving every day but it’s also nice to see in training that they still want to learn and develop areas of their game despite how experienced they are.
“This whole pre-season has been a really big opportunity for me. I didn’t actually quite believe I would be given an opportunity so soon, but I have taken it all in my stride and tried to learn as much as I can, especially the mannerisms off the pitch.”